Heroes & Villains: Lincoln revive magic of the FA Cup, shame on Leicester

Another wild weekend in the FA Cup shows that English football's oldest cup competition is doing just fine. Iain Macintosh looks back at the best and worst performances.

HEROES

They are the first nonleague team to reach the FA Cup sixth round since 1914, and they might just be responsible for the greatest shock in the history of the competition. On Saturday afternoon, Lincoln City of the National League went to the home of Premier League Burnley and beat them with a dramatic goal in the dying moments. From the first minute, the Cowley Brothers' team matched up with their more illustrious opponents and fought them technically, tactically and ... um ... fightingly. They fully deserve their place in the last eight as well as their place in history.

The only Premier League side to enjoy a comfortable journey to the next round were the only Premier League side to play a near-full strength team. There's a lesson there somewhere. Tottenham Hotspur were taking no chances against Fulham: Jan Vertonghen returned and so too did Harry Kane, feared crocked after picking up a knee knock in midweek. But Kane, as Fulham found to their cost, is fully armed and operational. Three goals later, the Cottagers were reeling and Spurs were making plans for the next round.

Keep an eye on Huddersfield boss David Wagner. The erstwhile padawan of Jurgen Klopp has transformed the Terriers from Championship makeweights to promotion contenders, and they gave Manchester City quite a fright on Saturday. Far from being intimidated by their opponents, they went at them with a tireless high press and could easily have won the game. As it is, they'll be quite happy with the chance of a replay thanks to the 0-0 draw, which is more than can be said for Pep Guardiola, who was not at all pleased with the prospect of yet another game.

Oxford United boss Michael Appleton has made something of a name for himself and cup shocks in recent years, and he was so close to another at the weekend. His League One side looked finished when they went 0-2 down away at Middlesbrough, but two goals in 60 seconds turned the tie on its head completely. Alas, Boro came back with a winner, Appleton praised their fans for staying positive instead of turning on their team, and the dream was over. But it was a close-run thing, and Appleton can be proud of his players.

How wonderful it must be as a manager, when you're struggling to overcome lower league opposition, to turn around, nod and say, "Go on then, Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Finish them off." Obviously, he went and scored the winner. He's Zlatan, that's what he does. It was his 24th goal of the season, continuing evidence that he is the best of Jose Mourinho's summer signings and arguably one of the best signings of the season. Off the pitch, he presents an aspirational example for the entire squad to follow. On the pitch, as Blackburn Rovers can testify, he remains a devastating force.

VILLAINS

Oh, Joey Barton. Football needs people like you. Moustache-twirling villains to provide contrast to the stiffly-starched, media-trained poster boys of modern football. It needs people bold enough to defy convention and rail against "The Man." It needs characters. But it probably doesn't need people who stomp on the toes of nonleague footballers, run into their outstretched arms and then pretend to collapse with a serious head injury. Joey, we know you're not perfect. That's what some of us like about you. But you're better than that, aren't you?

Is it even a shock that third-tier Millwall knocked out Premier League champions Leicester City? The Foxes are so bad now that you hardly expected anything else. It didn't help that they fielded such a mismatched team of fringe players either. Perhaps Claudio Ranieri was hoping to find some overlooked talent or unfancied player driven to take his opportunity to shine. If so, he was left unfulfilled. Leicester were poor. They had half an hour against 10 lower-league players and they still couldn't score. This is miserable stuff.

Their manager Sean Dyche was a class act afterward, rightly praising Lincoln for their victory, but that's the only time Burnley shone on Saturday. With their record at home, their work ethic and their considerable talent, they could have been a decent outside bet to go all the way to the final. But in spite of the chances they spurned -- I'm looking at you, Andre Gray -- they never looked entirely comfortable against Lincoln, which is ridiculous given the gulf in class. There really is no excuse for a defeat like this.

If you've just beaten the Premier League champions in the cup, regardless of the state they're in at present, you're pretty much entitled to a pitch invasion. Let's not deny the Millwall fans that. Pitch invasions are fun; they're spontaneous expressions of delight and joy, and we don't have enough of either in modern-day football. But there is a line, and that line is drawn somewhere after getting on the turf and dancing, and somewhere a long way before you mass ranks in front of the opposing fans and reportedly start lobbing things at them.

Had you forgotten about Blackburn Rovers? You wouldn't be the only one. It's rare to see Ewood Park packed out these days. Rarer still to see them beating a team like Manchester United. It's been just over six years since the Venky's group took control of Rovers, and in that short time, they've undone all the good of the late owner Jack Walker and his trust. You have to wonder why they refuse to sell up and walk away. You really do have to wonder because the fans have repeatedly appealed for information, or some sign of intent, but to no avail. Let's hope you took your opportunity to watch them this weekend, for you suspect there won't be many more.